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{from the Bailey's Cigarette website} After more than a century in the business of growing tobacco, we can comfortably say that Bailey's is founded on a strong belief in home and family. In addition we strive to keep adult smokers informed about legislative activity (click here for more info on legislative and legal issues) that affects you and your right to smoke premium American tobacco at an honest price. Here's a chance for you to find out a little more about our products and how our family business came to be. Like your own secret barbeque sauce, Bailey's cigarettes are made using our family's own blend. We include only premium-quality tobacco -- much of it grown and cured on our farm under the watchful eye of fifth-generation growers. We're proud that Bailey's uses more American-grown tobacco than most other major cigarette brands. Over the past few years, our product line has grown from just the Full Flavor cigarette to include a cigarette for every taste. And now Bailey's is available in a Crush-Proof Box. Look for them at a retailer near you. Nurturing tobacco plants is in our family's blood. More than 125 years ago -- as the telephone and electric light were still futuristic ideas -- the Baileys began to sow tobacco in the fertile Virginia soil. It was Cornelius Bailey who first planted the prized crop to support his family. Since then, the Baileys have passed the land from generation to generation, building one of the largest tobacco operations in Virginia. In fact, Cornelius' great-grandson Mac Bailey still oversees much of the day-to-day farming activities. America's Tobacco Heritage Still Lives. Since the early 1600's, tobacco has been vital to America's economic growth. A relative of garden flowers and vegetables, it grows heartily in the mid-Atlantic climate and soil. At the same time, tobacco was a valuable export, helping finance the American Revolution. In fact, tobacco was so precious that early colonists often substituted tobacco leaves for cash. After the Civil War, tobacco was the backbone of agricultural enterprise in America, allowing this nation to begin rebuilding. That's when the Bailey family started working the land. Achieving Our Family's Dreams. "Each year, when I brought the tobacco to auction, I felt a sort of emptiness," explains Mac Bailey. "I'd sow the seeds, watch it grow, and harvest it...but I wasn't satisfied. I wanted to try to complete the process. I wanted to produce a great cigarette." In 1994, the Bailey family took that chance. Mac's son Steven created a special blend of 40 different types of tobacco that provided the incredibly rich, satisfying flavor he and his father had dreamed about. Best of all, Steven was able to accomplish this goal by using 100% American-grown flue and burley tobaccos. The addition of a small amount of Oriental tobacco enhances Bailey's distinctive flavor and aroma and creates an "American-blend" cigarette. Frankly, we don't know of any other major brand that's this committed to using U.S. tobacco. Even without the low-grade filler tobacco many brands rely upon, by managing the entire process -- from seed to cigarette -- the family knew we could keep the cost per pack low. Mac and Steven invested in basic equipment and a few key employees. Production began down the road from the farm, in an old school house Mac attended as a boy. Starting with just a few cartons a week, the dream was taking shape. Since 1994, the Bailey's operation has continued to grow by leaps and bounds. Each year, more people try Bailey's thanks to our honest price, then they stick with us for our outstanding taste and quality. In the almost 10 years we've been in business we have produced over 4.7 billion sticks of Bailey's cigarettes. Still, we remain small compared to other cigarette brands. And that suits us just fine. After all, we never set out to make the most cigarettes -- just the best ones. Today's Branch Of The Family Tree. Cornelius' grandson Frank Bailey still drives the fields he once tended just about every morning, even though he officially retired from farming and is dedicated now to finding the best fishing for the day. Frank's son Mac is the company Chief Executive Officer, and Frank's grandson Steven -- creator of the original Bailey's blend -- is President. Mac's whole family plays important roles in providing the best cigarette. Michael, his eldest son, is Vice President of Leaf -- responsible for the family farm production, as well as finding the best tobacco grown to put in each pack of Bailey's. JoAnn is Vice President of Strategic Development and is actively involved in marketing and sales to our business partners. Trey is Vice President of Legal Affairs and General Counsel and represents the company as we navigate through the many challenges confronting the whole tobacco industry. Jonathan, the youngest son, prepares the blend for each production day, assuring the quality of each cigarette. On March 26, 2004, Jonathan's wife Stephanie gave birth to the latest addition to the Bailey family - Evan LaGrand. Jonathan also represents Bailey's at the race track -- racing in the NASCAR Weekly Race Series for the Bailey's Race Team. In addition, more than 220 dedicated employees round out the corporate family. Each of our employees is committed to bringing Bailey's cigarettes to you. Never Mass-Produced (And You Can Taste The Difference. There's only one country on earth where a family can set out to create a superior product, introduce it to a market dominated by big corporations, and make good on its generations-old dream. We're grateful for the opportunity. That's why we'll continue to provide you the best tobacco we can grow. After all, we have to live up to the philosophy this company was founded on -- providing you a Premium Cigarette at an Honest Price™. And yes, that's our family's old tobacco barn on every pack. From our customers' point of view, S&M Brands, Inc. and Bailey's are pretty much the same thing. S&M Brands is the corporation behind our brand of premium cigarettes. Officially, the corporation runs the manufacturing facility and the distribution of our products throughout the mid-Atlantic. But it's the Bailey family and our employees who deliver the cigarettes to you every day. The name came from the co-founding members of the family, Steven and Mac. It was easy -- "S&M." You'll find our corporate headquarters in Keysville, Virginia, less than a mile from the farm. It's a friendly town of about 600 people, roughly an hour from Richmond. Official site:www.baileyscigarettes.com Consumer Help: Call (800) 766-5342 or send a letter to S & M Brands, 3662 Ontario Road, Suite B, Keysville, VA 23947. Current Brands * Bailey's/Bailey's Family Links * Back to Manufacturers' Index * Back to United States